The Candidate Experience – Part 1: Sourcing and the Thrill of the Chase

In case you missed the first installment in this series (No, Part 1 is NOT the first installment) then you need to understand the logic of presenting the candidate experience in this manner. Using my Star Wars damaged brain I started the story with the final episode in The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition …

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The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition to Employee

No, you didn’t miss the two preceding parts of this series. They will come later. It appears that most of the discussion whirling around us is about improving the candidate experience during the recruiting and interviewing phase. I contend that Part 2 is important, but there is also a before and after picture that needs …

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You Can’t Handle the Truth!

How many times a day do you hear someone refer to “the real world” when they are trying to get someone to see an opposing point of view? Of course, everybody’s “real world” is different, so the new-speak translation of this line is really more like “you should really think more like me.” My world …

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Beyond #SourceCon – The Trip from Euphoria Back to Real Life

Musicians would call it dynamics. The conference orchestrated by ERE Media last week for the sourcing community was punctuated by accented notes, a few well placed rests, and heightened emotional crescendos followed by equally moving decrescendos. Dynamics! After any concert, when the musicians stop playing, those who were immersed in the moment will carry that …

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You Have the Right to Remain Silent

Comedian Ron White came up with a classic line in his routine about a time he was picked up by the police for being drunk in public, “I had the right to remain silent…but I didn’t have the ability.” Genius! In the comedic pause between the first and second part of that sentence, people started …

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The Candidate Experience – Part 1: Sourcing and the Thrill of the Chase The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition to Employee You Can’t Handle the Truth! Beyond #SourceCon – The Trip from Euphoria Back to Real Life You Have the Right to Remain Silent

May
23

The Candidate Experience – Part 1: Sourcing and the Thrill of the Chase

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The Candidate Experience: "I wonder what their next move will be?"

In case you missed the first installment in this series (No, Part 1 is NOT the first installment) then you need to understand the logic of presenting the candidate experience in this manner. Using my Star Wars damaged brain I started the story with the final episode in The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition to Employee where we looked at the stakeholder involvement and influence during the final stages of hiring a new employee. Quite appropriately, this episode in the Candidate Wars trilogy is the search for the ideal candidate whose skills appear to match the job requirements for the job of Luke’s father. As we learned from Lucas’ classic tale, the apparent technological genius Anakin (He did possess the highest Midi-chlorian count ever recorded…Source: Wookiepedia) was temperamentally unsuited for the job of Jedi and was ultimately too easily seduced by the Dark Side. Clearly, a very bad hire!

A candidate experience must begin with a candidate. They don’t materialize out of thin air. Whether they are found by total accident or by proactively searching for them, they must be sourced and placed into the pipeline. The sourcing function lays the foundation for the entire hiring process. A failure here means ultimate failure. The role of sourcer, whether a standalone function or incorporated with other recruiting functions, can make or break any plan for improving the candidate experience. Processes and procedures adopted to “fix” the candidate experience at other stages will only be sub optimization of a part of the system: A classic case of “garbage in = garbage out.” Before this idea goes too far, it must also be added that the foundation alone does not guarantee building a successful campaign. The entire system needs to work together or nothing will be accomplished. It should also be mentioned that sourcers often undo themselves by infatuation with gimmicks and technology. Nothing shouts “You are only a name or a number” more than allowing a dumb tool to do the sourcing. The best sourcer of thinking, feeling and intelligent people is another thinking, feeling and intelligent human being. The real tools of their trade are more esoteric.

Perspective – One additional caveat on this study into the candidate experience is that it absolutely has to be from the viewpoint of the candidate. It is not about the company experience, the recruiter experience or the sourcer experience. Unless the process begins with a look through their eyeballs nothing can be improved. As a preview of Part 2 in this series, most candidates don’t get it. This is not an excuse to ignore them or their viewpoint, but a challenge to educate those we hire. It is all about setting expectations; both theirs and everyone in contact with them. The reality is that some problems are only imagined and the only thing that can be improved is perception.

Strategic Planning – Before starting the sourcing journey, a plan for conducting the search is essential. This is not just to set the sourcer on a correct path to finding the right candidate. In order to source them effectively the candidates must take you seriously. Planning has to begin with thinking like the candidate. Without waiting for someone to ask a surprise question, anticipate the dialog by knowing all the answers to their questions. What will they want to know? Only when there is a deep understanding from the candidate perspective can it be woven into the fabric of the dialog.

  • Who is involved in the process now and in the future?
  • What are the detailed requirements of the job, the skills necessary to accomplish the job successfully and the cultural environment? Define the JOB not the person.
  • When is this needed and does it fit into my personal timeline?
  • Where is the work to be performed and is relocation/travel/working remotely part of the mix?
  • Why is there a need for this opening? Did someone quit? Is it an expansion?
  • How is the job compensated relative to my current situation?

Campaign Planning – An experienced sourcer may say outwardly that this step is unnecessary, but probing deeply will uncover that all have some sort of mental checklist or thought processes. Effective engagement with candidates must include additional planning with the ultimate goal to form an interaction that will be mutually satisfactory.

  • Sources of candidates vary depending on the type of job, but using the sourcer’s natural telepathic ability (or maybe tons of research?) can visualize where to turn. Fish where they are swimming and use the bait suitable for their taste.
  • Channels of communication need to be determined based on the candidate’s preferences, not on any predetermined bias. It is important to use all the tools available, but a best guess as to how they want to be contacted works best.
  • Priorities of candidates may differ from the company priorities. The highest business need is where there is a significant impact on the business. This can be made more urgent if it is a hard to fill or critical opening. This doesn’t sell. Emphasis on a rewarding application of skills to a meaningful job for fair compensation does sell and should dovetail nicely with company objectives.
  • Evaluation criteria for selection and interviewing are not a deep dark trade secret. Is there any reason that the candidate must not know the benchmark by which they are measured? Openness and honesty often leads to a candidate self awareness, but first it has to be clearly defined and communicated.

Methods Development – The groundwork is set for the tactical execution of the plan. Consideration of the candidate’s interests will be paramount to moving forward or there will be little hope of building a trusting relationship.

  • Organization, time management and record keeping are an important aspect of sourcing. Just as candidates must remember that they applied to a job when the recruiter calls, sourcers must not fumble around when the candidate calls. While the message is more important than the medium, relying on memory can be faulty. Whether it is a paper tickler file or an elaborate CRM, constant attention must be given to how it impacts the impression and experience of each individual.
  • Relationship building and personal contact makes the experience worthwhile to a candidate. Whether they are active or passive nobody likes to be a number or piece of paper. The bookshelf over a sourcer’s desk must include Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People and in particular exercise the rule about talking in terms of the other person’s interest. After all, it is all about them.
  • Ongoing communication and networking is critical. It is not about building a lifelong friendship but there are similar needs in creating an atmosphere of trust in a business relationship. Formulation of a plan of not only communicating but agreeing mutually on the form of communication is important to continuing the dialog.

We are now ready to move into the discussion of the actual selection, interview and offer aspect of the candidate experience in Part 2, but this does not signal a clean break with the policies of Part 1. Mid-course corrections will always be necessary. Since the process is continuous, improvements in all phases and ultimately an improvement in the experience for everyone concerned will be evolutionary.

Next: The Candidate Experience – Part 2: People Interacting with People

Additional articles:

The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition to Employee
The Resume Black Hole

Photo credit: Copyright © 123RF Stock Photos

 

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May
21

The Candidate Experience – Part 3: Transition to Employee

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The Candidate Experience: "I wonder what their next move will be?"

No, you didn’t miss the two preceding parts of this series. They will come later. It appears that most of the discussion whirling around us is about improving the candidate experience during the recruiting and interviewing phase. I contend that Part 2 is important, but there is also a before and after picture that needs to be considered as well. The experience is not over after someone commits to accepting an offer of employment. In fact this final phase probably has more impact on the bottom line of a company than any of the earlier activities. Success or failure at this level contributes immeasurable visibility into the culture of the company and has a definite impact on the recruiting brand.

Prologue – Before delving into the guts of the issue, why is the candidate experience important in the first place? The answer: Because it is failing! I would like to quote statistical evidence to support this statement, but you only have to listen to the outcry from job seekers to know anecdotally that something is wrong. It is not surprising that the numbers are hard to pin down. In a CareerXroads survey presented by Gerry Crispin in 2010 only 5% of those surveyed had looked at a sampling of all candidates and only a little more than half, 59.3%, conducted focus groups of new hires. Various other resources estimate that up to 75% or more of candidates never get any confirmation that their resume is in the system and they don’t know how to get feedback. Roughly 25% of all candidates interviewed relate that the time for receiving feedback is too lengthy. The report on the 2011 Candidate Experience Award (Everyone should download a copy of this report!) confirms that even companies submitting their processes for review admitted that they were not collecting data from rejected candidates. Not surprisingly, the perception of over 40% of rejected candidates was that they did not even receive as much as an automated email reply. How does this happen when so many HR professionals claim to be candidate advocates? The cynical side of me suggests that it is the same superficial do-gooder feel-good bandwagon syndrome that dooms so many other programs. Unfortunately, sitting around the HR campfire singing Kumbaya rarely works, but we are supposed to believe in a cause simply because it is “the right thing to do” without any supporting logic or data to fuel improvement.

Traditionally the term “candidate” morphs into something else after an offer of employment, but the black hole of data darkness doesn’t stop there. Examining this part of the process from the perspective of various stakeholders in the situation gives plausibility rather than emotion to form a conclusion. Each stakeholder in the process needs to be analyzed relative to their degree of interest and influence as it relates to a new hire in the company.

Community – The economic and environmental impact of the company on the surrounding community goes without saying, but it may seem at first to be a stretch when talking about the candidate experience. Actually it goes far beyond the local area. Employees live in the community and talk about their work experiences with their neighbors, family and friends. The culture of a company determines how seriously each employee takes their role as company ambassador at home or in their travels. Communication of company values and responsibilities is not just a training exercise. It gives an employee a cloak of influence that they wear home with them every night. Community interest and influence may be only at “moderate” level unless the experience of the employee causes an attitude shift that affects company and product perceptions and sales. This stakeholder may amplify positive or negative feelings of the employee based on past history. They wield significant influence over the company’s brand image and revenue.

Company – Obviously, the former candidate/now employee was hired to make a meaningful contribution to the business effort. The cost analysis to determine the need for this position is in the budget not only for salary but for fringe benefits which could be an additional 50% of base salary or more. The ROI on this investment is not a guess. Including cost of hire data figures into the expense of running a business, but the cost of a bad hire is not. When things go wrong they can go wrong catastrophically with not just a duplication of the hiring cost but also the unanticipated loss of productivity. Proper onboarding and orientation (two different and distinct activities) can be an insurance policy against loss of a valuable employee. While more difficult to measure, there is also an undeniable cost to the business when the reputation of products and services is tarnished by disgruntled employees or former employees. At this time in the evolution from job seeker to job holder the script for the stakeholder message is clear: “Welcome to the team and our team is best because [insert reasons here].”

Management – The hiring manager or new supervisor of an employee has a greater stake in the success of the integration of new talent than most other stakeholders. As a direct player in the selection, interviewing and hiring process, certain expectations were communicated to and by the candidate. This dialog is now part of the script for success and hopefully was not glossed over by either party. In any case, it is never too soon to rekindle the pre-hire discussion to make crystal-clear the objectives and deliverables of the job. When an employee fails, in the eyes of many it is a signal that the manager has failed. The relationship between the output of this department and parallel boxes on the organization chart needs to converge into each other or it could be a domino effect bringing all of them down. Conversely, when the star player is in the game it raises the performance of all players. It is important to find strengths in new hires and understand how to employ them for mutual benefit.

Co-workers – These stakeholders are all around the new hire. It is in the nature of most people to be cautiously optimistic about a new person entering the team’s inner circle, but if left up to individual preferences the results can be unpredictable. Immediate integration requires immediate introduction, interaction and immersion. Since food seems to be the universal catalyst for conversation, an informal breakfast on a new hire’s first day is a low stress ice breaker. Orchestrating periodic semi-social interaction between the new hire and co-workers, such as working lunches, gives a boost to the usual natural selection process by focusing on common goals and objectives without the appearance of seeming contrived. The fact that most fellow employees were not involved in the selection of their new teammate is often overlooked. A hasty walk-around introduction that interrupts the busy workflow can be an irritant rather than helping the new employee to adapt. Meetings which involve sharing mutual ideas and interests on a project basis can break the ice and foster a spirit of innovation and cooperation.

Former Candidate/Now Employee – The new hire experience can be daunting even for the most outgoing personality. Day 1 should not be a totally blind experience but one that takes knowledge provided since the offer acceptance and takes it to the next level. A well organized and fully integrated onboarding program goes a long way to dispel any feelings of “buyer’s remorse” after hire. Immediate, continuous and ongoing reinforcement of the employment brand is critical since each person brings a piece of their former life into the new one. The employee’s circle of influence includes former co-workers, family, friends and potential employee referrals to join the team. Employment decisions are not made in a vacuum so involving family members in the new experience works wonders to head off any bad feelings when long hours or travel may be involved. It has been said that it takes a village to raise a child and in all likelihood you just hired the mayor of that village.

Recruiter – Both in-house and third party recruiters may be stakeholders in a successful onboarding experience. Communication is the key to success. There will be a myriad of other people involved in a new hire’s work life, but somehow the relationship built with the recruiter is the tool that brought them to this point. A phone call, follow-up email, coffee or lunch will show that they were not just another item crossed off the to-do list but a genuine personal relationship. Continuing beyond Day 1 does not replace the significance of other stakeholders, but a new internal resource having external connections widens the sphere of influence of the recruiting brand. Future successes in hiring will be influenced by the message that each new hire broadcasts through their network.

Stakeholders will have varying degrees of influence over the culture, but immediately reinforcing a positive environment to a new hire is statistically significant to employee retention. In an article on Organizational Culture and Employee Retention researcher John Sheridan reports that new employees stayed voluntarily for 45 months in the culture emphasizing interpersonal relationship values and 31 months in the culture emphasizing work task values. It is logical to extrapolate that the interpersonal relationship begins with the earliest contact with a candidate. Building the foundation for employee retention begins with that first phone call or networking contact and continues throughout an employee’s career with the company.

Next: The Candidate Experience – Part 1: Sourcing and the Thrill of the Chase

Additional articles:
Recruiting Management And Key Stakeholders
The Resume Black Hole

Photo credit: Copyright © 123RF Stock Photos

 

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Apr
09

You Can’t Handle the Truth!

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How many times a day do you hear someone refer to “the real world” when they are trying to get someone to see an opposing point of view? Of course, everybody’s “real world” is different, so the new-speak translation of this line is really more like “you should really think more like me.” My world is usually a pleasant place to live, but I’ve been looking for this real world according to others and sometimes it is not a very pleasant place. Life has its little minefields (an excellent analogy) since you never know when or where problems will arise. It is always better to locate and defuse the mines rather than to find them by stomping around until they explode. Whether you are a corporation, a manager or an individual, when reality kicks your butt, you have two choices: defend yourself or pretend that it didn’t happen.  You are responsible for the outcome either way.

Social Media Branding Blindness

A rigid brand image which ignores reality and conforms uniformly to an unswerving militaristic corporate model reflects something about the underlying culture. Adding social media to a conservative branding approach can be a little scary. “What if somebody says something negative?” to which I answer, “How can you stop them?” If you don’t believe me, look at the successful 12-year run of walmartsucks.org or the Facebook page I Hate Microsoft. In May of last year, one of the boldest presentations on doing it right was at the Recruiting Innovation Summit when Larry Nash from Ernst & Young gave a presentation on recruiting college students using social media. The first key element of his program was in identifying the stereotypes that had to be overcome, such as a list which included “the company is too conservative.” Then they had the courage to make a decision to adopt rules which allowed adverse comments on their Facebook page…to which I add my thunderous applause. Where better to negate negativism than to avoid the appearance of censorship. Of course, this took a bit of courage not usually found in such a traditionally conservative industry and I imagine there were some reservations from the legal eagles, but it provided an opportunity to respond quickly and soon college students knew that they would get fast answers to their questions. This alone gave this brand authenticity by showing that it wasn’t just another marketing creation. People have become so skeptical of glitzy marketing ploys that it has become difficult to form positive images in the minds of consumers and candidates. As one crusty old marketing genius once told me, “You can’t gift-wrap a turd!” Probably a more politically correct, less colloquial phrase would be “You can’t camouflage reality with shiny stuff.”

The Culture of Management by Executive Edict

Most organizations do not really adopt the idea that all knowledge is centered in the top boxes of the organization chart, however the ability to foster a “listening” culture in search of reality means that the top bosses must let ideas percolate up to the top without being subjected to intermediate filtering. Within reason, radical new ideas must be given the chance to be heard and evaluated. Likewise, grievances and complaints should have the opportunity to be addressed regardless of source or perceived validity. If we have learned anything in our attempts to develop a diverse culture in the workplace it should be that discrimination does not have to be real in order for serious problems to occur. Listening and identifying problems is the only way to form viable solutions. It can be assumed that the best corporate vision comes from the top simply because leaders often have better insight to available resources, obstacles and profitability than the rank and file. This does not mean that input from the organization is unimportant. Deidre Campbell outlined in a Harvard Business Review article several key points about the culture of great organizations and among them is making an investment in employees and the recognition that culture is critical to talent retention. When I think of the word “culture” the analogy of “yogurt” comes to mind: Often the good stuff is on the bottom and it must be stirred to the top and spread throughout for the best results.

Thin-skinned Individualism

While we all have a breaking point with regard to negative feedback, to ignore the reality of the negative is to pretend that you are perfect the way you are…and you probably aren’t. One of the most difficult things for anyone to do is to find a lens that projects an image of how you want to appear without the filters imposed by others. Some input will be harsh, some will be painful and some will cut deeply. To ignore reality in favor of your utopian viewpoint means that you want it to get better without doing the hard work necessary to get there. Sometimes it IS your fault that you are where you are. Yes, there are hostile work environments and toxic bosses, but if the problem is internal to you it will never be possible to rise above the fray. On more than one occasion when I have been counseling job seekers on their unsuccessful efforts, I listen empathetically about the evil black hole, the impersonal ATS systems and uncaring recruiters and then ask “How many people in your network have you called today?” Silence…dead silence. “How many resumes have you sent out today?” answered by whimperings about the total uselessness of it all. Sometimes a little tough love is needed to make the breakthrough in an honest point-counterpoint analysis. Here is what might be wrong…here is how to fix it. You don’t make the bad stuff go away by ignoring advice from those who care about you and would probably help any way they can. You can’t assume that your management is only out to use you if you have not done your best and faced total reality. You will never have a shortage of potential enemies, so it is not advisable to treat your friends as if they are enemies.

So, can you handle the truth? Are you paranoid or are they really out to get you? Dealing with the truth, no matter how painful, will trump putting your head in the sand every time. Life is hard enough without ignoring events that need to be analyzed to set things straight. Addressing a problem head-on is not a guarantee that sunny days are on the horizon, but the alternative is to do nothing and lock-in the affirmation of the negative which is always going to be there anyway.

 

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Feb
13

Beyond #SourceCon – The Trip from Euphoria Back to Real Life

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Musicians would call it dynamics. The conference orchestrated by ERE Media last week for the sourcing community was punctuated by accented notes, a few well placed rests, and heightened emotional crescendos followed by equally moving decrescendos. Dynamics! After any concert, when the musicians stop playing, those who were immersed in the moment will carry that experience away and relive it for a while afterward. Without the external accompaniment to sustain the emotion, life’s volume and tempo can begin to drown out even the memory of the experience.

How many people moved by speakers and key networking moments last week will return to real life on Monday only to find that the lessons they learned don’t fit nicely into their usual routine. The culture of most organizations is not very receptive to revolution from the ranks and a longer evolutionary tactic involving buy-in and eventual funding is required to make real change happen.

Organizational immovability requires missionaries to effect change.

In some cases, the inertia of the ongoing process cannot be stopped or even slowed down. This is a world where sourcing is often an underestimated and undervalued commodity. Words alone will not change the direction, but repeating the message at every opportunity has an eventual impact. This will not just be a series of five-second sound bites that eventually causes change to happen. The lessons learned at SourceCon need to be adapted to the current environment, fine tuned and refined. Most of us will not be dealing globally with multiple cultures, but the eloquence of Adam Lawrence will not be lost if that message is absorbed and repeated in context. Don’t expect lightbulb moments, gasps of recognition and spontaneous applause when you suggest that phone sourcing actually works because nobody does it like Conni LaDouceur and many are still lost in a post and pray recruiting mentality. Only the true believers and those who hone their skills to approach the level of the SourceCon presenters will cut through the fog of an immovable culture.

Even receptive cultures require catalysts to implement change.

The role of the few, moved by their passion, can turn thoughts and processes in a new direction. Some SourceCon attendees were sent by their employers to bring back the latest technology in order to give them a competitive edge. Influence by those few can ignite the flame of change to make new things happen. Working within established ATS or CRM boundaries can be deflating if pushing the boundaries of current practices is not expanded. Best practices gleaned from the Panel Discussion and other presentations are examples of how to move forward and not accept the status quo.  It was interesting to work the room and eavesdrop on coffee-talk and casual conversations at the conference which focused on learned best practices and a willingness to share, somewhat boastfully, about successes. It also highlights that interaction and participation is just as important as listening to the key speakers. The video presentations are better than nothing, but nowhere close to the feeling of participation that comes only from the live conference. Returning home with the message that “I talked to somebody at XYZ Company who did it this way” is just as important as notes from the experts.

Personal education and edification is always a permanent change.

The change that happens within an individual can be challenged by the environment, but lasting personal improvement can never be stripped away. The tips, tricks and tactics presented by Shannon Myers, Shannon Van Curen and Eric Jaquith will set an individual sourcer above the rest and improve company results through individual professional excellence. Sourcing excellence that is exemplary in its basic form will be recognized and institutionalized. Even if there is no immediate pat-on-the-back for the personal improvement gained, there will be the self-satisfying knowledge that there is value added by personal efforts. Everybody’s parents probably told them that “nobody can take away your education,” meaning formal education, but the lessons we learn as adults that are of our choosing and in our profession are priceless.

It is interesting that with all the emphasis on how to source the best talent in the most efficient manner, most of the conversation seemed to be mechanical in tone. This is not a criticism of the largest, best run and most exciting SourceCon of all time, but a systemic problem with recruiting in general that focuses on the process rather than the people. The term “candidate experience” was only mentioned once from the platform and perhaps the next SourceCon should sponsor a general session on the value of looking at the process from the other side of the table. We are not lumberjacks harvesting trees, or this would have been called LumberCon. A view of the process from the perspective of the hunted rather than the hunter would serve to remind us that we are impacting real lives of real people in our profession.

 

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Jan
24

You Have the Right to Remain Silent

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Comedian Ron White came up with a classic line in his routine about a time he was picked up by the police for being drunk in public, “I had the right to remain silent…but I didn’t have the ability.” Genius! In the comedic pause between the first and second part of that sentence, people started to think about what he was going to say next. When the anticipation was over they roared with laughter even though many saw what was coming. If you think about it, we all have the right to remain silent or speak out whenever we want. Like Ron White, do we lose the ability in certain circumstances to distinguish between the two?

We hear a lot in the recruiting world about the “candidate experience” and the evil “black hole” that is a killer of employer-to-candidate communication. Without repeating a previous declaration that “all candidates don’t deserve a good experience” and have to explain that one again, let’s just say that honest communication is necessary in the hiring process and is not negotiable as a mandatory skill of a recruiter. Human interaction is at the heart of the issue.

You have the right to remain silent…but what do you do when the hiring process takes longer than you expected?

The complexity of a company’s hiring process is not transparent to someone looking for a job or a new step in their career. No news is not good news. The lack of timely turnaround, even if justified, creates unnecessary anxiety. Nothing is really wrong with this scenario except for unmatched expectations. Remember Gibbs Rule #6: Never apologize – it’s a sign of weakness. More importantly, why say “I’m sorry” if you did nothing wrong? The more you educate candidates about the process the more confidence you instill in them. Prerequisite to having an open dialog is keeping the lines of communication open. Try to give them a reasonable time frame in order to set realistic expectations. Sharing the process with them also gives insight into the culture of the company they hope to join. Honesty doesn’t mean you go negative on your own company. Remain positive and never air dirty linen in public if something did go wrong or somebody is holding things up. Honesty has two very important side effects. First, it helps to keep your focus on track and if somebody in the organization is dragging their feet then light a fire under them. Probably most important is the fact that lies are always very thinly veiled. Never be in a situation where you have to keep track of which lie you told so that you are consistent. Give them a reason, not feeble excuses.

You have the right to remain silent…but what do you say when a candidate is not the first choice?

In every arena where human beings compete, somebody is the winner and the rest are not. If there are numerous positions open there may be more than one offer. If not, the first-runner-up may be someone you would have hired if Number One hadn’t been in the running. Don’t lose an opportunity to cultivate a future hire by closing too early. Keep a list of those in the running for the next opening of that type and the time-to-hire can be dramatically reduced. The open dialog means keeping a tickler file on your candidate network and reaching out to them from time to time to keep the channels open. It also means extending an invitation to stay in touch and answering the phone when they call. Every contact gives more credibility to your hiring process. As an important side note, do not overlook the requirements to maintain balance and impartiality in your selection of candidates. Maintaining lists outside of a company ATS can open the door for charges of discrimination, so any offline private or public databases are still subject to the same restrictions and controls without the built-in safeguards of an ATS. The ultimate goal is not to replace the normal processes, but to give recruiters, managers and candidates the ability to manage data already vetted through the system.  Instill in everyone the idea that the opposite of winning is not losing because in some cases there are other opportunities to win.

You have the right to remain silent…but what do you say when a candidate doesn’t get the job after an interview?

The hardest job for anyone to do is to communicate bad news. Candidates will come through the door that appeared to meet the job specs on paper, but when called upon to offer depth of substance in an interview reveal that they are something less than the ideal employee. If they don’t fall into the first-runner-up category there is still value in their background, perhaps for other jobs, as long as their story line is not totally a sales pitch of a candidate “brand without substance.” The approach, while time-consuming, would be to identify any redeeming value to the company since this individual has already gone through the screening process in order to get to the interview stage. It helps to think of it as a golden rule of candidate communication: Tell them what you would want to hear in that situation.   Many recruiters will string along a candidate who failed the job interview, but that really doesn’t do anyone any good. At some point the process has to come to closure and the preferred way is with mutual understanding that it didn’t work out rather than hoping they go away quietly. There is no good way to tell someone that they are not going to be considered for a job without some sort of feedback. Sometimes there is a cultural mismatch as well as a skill differential, but more often than not it is just a simple fact of relativity. When compared to other candidates on measurable dimensions they fell short of the mark. If you are interviewing without an evaluation yardstick, the message given will be personal, incomplete and hostile sounding.

You have the right to remain silent…but what do you say to the candidate who needs a lot of help to get any job?

Be careful to separate personal coaching from the recruiter’s chair and giving official feedback. There are a myriad of legal concerns that could expose the recruiter and the company to claims of discrimination. No good deed goes unpunished! This should not be used as an excuse to ignore candidate communication. You know that they are never going to be hired at your company, so official feedback has to be targeted to their skills relative to the job and their outlook as it meshes with the company culture. More often than not, they already know that they are not a match. Communication also involves listening, so when the questions comes up about “What could I do better?” you can casually ask “What do you think you could do better?” Then listen. You will hear stereotypical feedback that you can address and perhaps offer non-binding advice. At this point, anything the recruiter offers that is intended to be helpful could be perceived as humiliating if it is a monologue instead of a dialog. Two-way communication is made easier if there has been a good recruiter/recruitee relationship built up over time.

The message to recruiters should be a reminder that you work with PEOPLE and if you don’t like working with PEOPLE then find another job. Learn to talk to PEOPLE or you are admitting that you add no value to the process and anybody can do it.

 

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